A variety of clamping tools have been developed for both home and commercial use. These tools are used for numerous purposes, and include many different types of clamping systems.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,575 to Bardes discloses a clamping tool designed for securing wood framing members together. The Bardes device includes a handle having a lockable clamping mechanism operably connected to a pair of rigid L-shaped jaws which are also L-shaped in cross section. Each jaw has a plurality of frictional gripping barbs to facilitate engagement of the wood framing members.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,102 to Hallmark discloses a tool having a handle with a lockable clamping mechanism connected to two jaw arms. Each jaw arm includes a plurality of extension members secured together in a telescoping arrangement, permitting the length of the jaw arms to be adjusted. At the end of each jaw arm is an L-shaped jaw member having an enlarged head.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,319 to Schmidt discloses a hand tool having a handle with an adjustable locking mechanism and a pair of opposing jaws. Each jaw includes a first blade and a second blade parallel to and interiorly disposed from the first blade. The device is adapted for use in securing portions of metal duct work together.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,490 to Durham discloses a hand tool for mounting truck tires. The tool includes a handle with a lockable clamping mechanism connected to two opposed, curved jaw plates. The jaw plates are designed to clamp a metal wheel rim during the mounting of a tire to retain the tire bead in place on the rim.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,483,059, 4,344,215, and 4,553,305 to Dearman all disclose pipefitting tools having V-shaped jaws adapted to engage a pipe therebetween. The '305 and '059 patents further include scribe means for marking the pipes as desired during assembly.
Although the above-described tools perform a variety of important functions, none are adapted to secure a plurality of work pieces together in a selected angled relationship. It is often necessary in the construction trade, or during home use, to secure two portions of material together in an angled configuration so that both portions may be permanently secured in such configuration. For example, in metalworking, it is often necessary to secure two pieces of metal together at an angle so that such pieces can be permanently welded. Likewise, the securing together of materials in an angled configuration is important in work involving wood, glass, and other construction materials. Thus, a need exists for a tool adapted to engage materials together in an angled relationship so that such materials can be permanently bonded. The present invention satisfies this need.